Christ the Center

In this episode, Camden Bucey welcomes Dr. David VanDrunen to discuss his new book, Faith in Exile: Psalm 119 and the Christian Life (Christian Focus). VanDrunen shares the backstory behind this unique project—his first published collection of sermons—and reflects on how Psalm 119, the Bible’s longest chapter, unfolds a deep theology of suffering, obedience, and the pilgrim experience. Drawing fro...

Dr. Guy Waters is the Professor of New Testament at the Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi and a teaching elder in the Mississippi presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America. Today, he joins us to speak about his book, One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church (Lexham Academic), in which he sets out a full-scale Reformed doctrine of the church. The title echoes the four clas...

In this installment of the Vos Group, Camden Bucey and Lane Tipton turn to pages 378–381 of Geerhardus Vos’s Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments, focusing on Jesus’ teaching and the eschatology of the kingdom. They explore the vital biblical distinction between the “already” and “not yet” aspects of the kingdom of God, examining how this two-age structure stands in contrast to various eschat...

In this episode of Christ the Center , Camden Bucey is joined once again by Lane Tipton and Carlton Wynne for a substantive follow-up to their earlier discussion of Keith Mathison’s Toward a Reformed Apologetic: A Critique of the Thought of Cornelius Van Til . In the months since their first review, Dr. Mathison published a blog response , prompting deeper analysis and clarification. Together, Drs...

In this episode we welcome Dr. Michael Morales—professor of biblical studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary —for a conversation exploring the profound theological vision of the book of Numbers. Drawing from his newly released two-volume commentary in the Apollos Old Testament Commentary series, Dr. Morales unveils Numbers as more than ancient census lists and wilderness wanderings...

Leonardo De Chirico and Mark Gilbert join the program to discuss the enduring significance of the Nicene Creed as it marks its 1700th anniversary. Drawing from their recent edited volume, The Nicene Creed: The Nature of Christian Unity and the Meaning of Gospel Words (Matthias Media), the guests explore how shared creedal language can mask deep theological differences, particularly between evangel...

In this episode Camden Bucey welcomes Dr. Jonathan Master, president of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and host of the new podcast Dead Presbyterians Society . Together, they reflect on the theology and practice of public prayer, drawing upon the insights of 19th-century Presbyterian theologian Samuel Miller and his underappreciated classic, Thoughts on Public Prayer . The conversati...

What did Jesus mean when he spoke of “the kingdom of God” or “the kingdom of heaven?” In this episode, we turn to Geerhardus Vos’s Biblical Theology , pages 375–378, where he unpacks the theological and biblical contours of the kingdom in the Gospels. Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey explore the critical distinction Vos draws between the abstract and concrete senses of the kingdom, the Old Testament b...

In this episode of Christ the Center , Camden Bucey and Carlton Wynne are joined by Rev. Stephen Spinnenweber, author of Loving the Law: The Law of God in the Life of the Believer (Christian Focus), to explore the enduring significance of God’s moral law in the Christian life. They discuss the book’s development, its theological foundations, and its practical applications for pastors, congregants,...

In this rich theological conversation, Camden Bucey welcomes Dr. Harrison Perkins—pastor, scholar, and author—to discuss his two latest books: Righteous by Design: Covenantal Merit and Adam’s Original Integrity (Christian Focus) and Created for Communion with God: The Promise of Genesis 1–2 (Lexham Press). Together, they explore foundational Reformed doctrines related to covenant theology, the ima...

In this episode of Christ the Center , Camden Bucey welcomes Dr. J. Brandon Burks, pastor of Christ Reformed Church (URCNA) in Florence, Kentucky, to discuss his recent article published in The Confessional Presbyterian Journal (Vol. 20, 2024): “The Puritans and the Salem Witch Trials: Living According to God’s Revealed Will.” Together, they explore the theological context of the infam...

In this episode of Christ the Center , we’re joined by Kurt Vetterli, pastor of an ERKWB congregation in Basel , and Florian Weicken, pastor of an EPCEW congregation in Zürich , for a rich conversation on the legacy and ongoing work of the Swiss Reformation. We begin with a guided historical survey of the Reformation in Zürich and Basel, highlighting key figures such as Huldrych Zwingli, Johannes...

In this installment of our Vos Group series, Camden Bucey welcomes Lane Tipton back to the studio for an in-depth discussion on Geerhardus Vos’s Biblical Theology (pp. 372–374), focusing on the Kingdom of God. Together, they explore how the concept of the kingdom is foundational to Jesus’ public ministry and central to redemptive history. Drawing from Vos’s text and the broader Reformed tradition,...

In this episode, Danny Olinger and Camden Bucey explore a pivotal moment in the history of American Presbyterianism: the Special Commission of 1925 and its investigation into the doctrinal unrest within the Presbyterian Church (USA). Appointed to address the growing tension between modernists and conservatives, the Commission aimed to preserve the church’s “purity, peace, unity, and progress.” How...

In this thought-provoking episode, we welcome back Dr. Leonardo De Chirico, a leading Reformed evangelical theologian and pastor in Rome, for a consideration of the legacy and ongoing influence of Thomas Aquinas. Drawing from his recent book, Engaging with Thomas Aquinas: An Evangelical Approach (Apollos), Dr. De Chirico offers a critical yet charitable appraisal of Aquinas’s theological architect...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Nicholas G. Piotrowski to discuss his book, Return from Exile and the Renewal of God’s People (Crossway). Throughout our conversation, Dr. Piotrowski unpacks the biblical theme of exile and return, demonstrating how it forms the central drama of Scripture—from Adam and Eve’s expulsion from Eden to the final restoration of God’s people in the new creation. We explore...

In this episode Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey continue their discussion of Geerhardus Vos’s Biblical Theology , focusing on pages 369–371. This section addresses Jesus’ teaching on the divine majesty and greatness, the retributive righteousness of God, and the implications for true religion. Lane Tipton explains how Vos maintains the biblical tension between God’s transcendent majesty and his...

In this special episode of Christ the Center , we commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) with special guests Dr. Maynard Koerner and Wayne Johnson. Dr. Koerner and Mr. Johnson take us on a historical journey through the origins, theological developments, and challenges that have shaped the RCUS over the past three centuries. From the church’s humble be...

In this episode, we explore the biblical and historical foundations of Presbyterian church government through the lens of the three-office view—minister, ruling elder, and deacon. Joining us are two distinguished guests: Mark R. Brown, editor of and contributor to Order in the Offices , and Greg Reynolds, contributor to the volume. Together, we discuss the scriptural and theological arguments for...

In this episode we welcome Dr. Jean Decorvet and Dr. Kenneth Stewart to explore The Geneva Réveil, a significant yet often overlooked nineteenth-century evangelical revival that reshaped French-speaking Protestantism and left a lasting global impact. We discuss the origins, theological dynamics, and international reach of this movement, featured in the new volume, The Geneva Réveil in Internationa...

In this episode we turn to Geerhardus Vos's discussion on divine fatherhood as presented in Biblical Theology (pp. 365–369). Vos masterfully traces the theme of God's fatherhood from the Old Testament to the New, demonstrating both its continuity and the profound transformation it undergoes in Jesus' teaching. We explore key theological distinctions, including: The development from a national to a...

In this special live recording of Christ the Center , Camden Bucey, Lane Tipton, Jim Cassidy, and guest Marcus Mininger explore the vital topic of redemptive historical interpretation. Dr. Mininger is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Mid-America Reformed Seminary and author of Uncovering the Theme of Revelation in Romans 1:16–3:26: Discovering a New Approach to Paul's Argument (Mohr Si...

In this episode of Christ the Center , Camden Bucey speaks with Brian DeVries, a theologian and pastor in South Africa, about his new book, You Will Be My Witnesses , which explores the biblical and theological foundations of Christian witness, emphasizing the church's role in participating in God's redemptive mission. They discuss the complexities of the Christian and Reformed landscape in South...

In this episode, we open pp. 360–365 of Geerhardus Vos's Biblical Theology to discuss his profound insights into Jesus's relationship with the Old Testament. How did Christ use the Scriptures in his teaching? What did he mean when he said he came to "fulfill" the law? And how does his doctrine of God affirm the continuity of divine revelation from the Old to the New Testament? Join us as we discus...

In this episode of Christ the Center , we engage in a thoughtful and rigorous discussion of Keith Mathison's book, Toward a Reformed Apologetics: A Critique of the Thought of Cornelius Van Til . Carlton Wynne, Lane Tipton, and Camden Bucey critically examine Mathison's interpretation of Van Til, particularly in relation to idealism, epistemology, and the noetic effects of sin. Throughout this epis...